Which 300b amplifier: Nagra 300p, Luxman MQ-300, Wavac EC-300B, Air Tight ATM-300R, Shindo Cortese 300b

[morricab]

I would preferably go with a low powered push pull amp for sure. How is the bass with your existing Coincidents?

You will miss a lot of potential but it’s your choice...

 

[KeithR]

You will miss a lot of potential but it’s your choice...

please tell us about your amp experience with Devore speakers. thanks

 

[essrand]

Any reason why you you must have a 300B with the Devores. you might want to consider running them with a good 211

I wouldn't mind a good 211. I love the looks of the Air Tight ATM-211.

I only have experience with the Coincident 211 push-pull and I liked the Coincident 300b better, although the push-pull had better bass.

Any recos for a 211 stereo amplifier (not monoblocks). There don't seem to be many out there.

 

[Kcin]

I could recommend you look for a Wyetech 211 .. a little rare but worth seeking out. I have one and I can say it is a very nice amp.

 

[morricab]

please tell us about your amp experience with Devore speakers. thanks

Lol, you are funny Keith...

 

[the sound of Tao]

I really liked the LM219IA with the 0/96s when I had them upstairs for a few months at my last place. I am confident that I’d prefer my LM508ia even more with the 0/96s as I prefer the bass on the current SET that I now have and I do think that the best SET bass is magic on speakers like the monkeys... I also tried them with some EL34 monos back then but definitely preferred the 845 300B DHT combo. It was a great amp speaker match. It had a shot of realness that the EL34 kind of hinted at.

I also tried the Shindo and the microzotl as a pre on this combo and both gave it some further structure and a bass agility which really helps with this lovely speaker. They do look magic and more than just a little bit zen.

 

[bonzo75]

What speakers have you heard the Nagra on? Not saying you are wrong about it but seems quite an absolute statement about its snappiness. If you heard my JJ amp you would probably conclude the same thing with most speakers but put it on the right speakers and it has punch and dynamics. Many (but not all) SET are this way. Some SETs sound very powerful with a wide range of speakers.

By snappy I interpreted that to mean fast and hitting. Having compared dac, pre, and power, I have not found any of the Nagra components to be that version of snappy.

Regarding speakers, I already said I haven't heard them on devore, I heard them on opposites, YG and focal which they sucked on due to drive, but neither of the dac, pre, or power was snappy. I don't mean snappy to be powerful. Nagra tries to produce a flowing liquid sound, steady (it doesn't do it too well)

 

[KeithR]

You might look into the Luxman MQ-88uC amplifier. The Air Tight EL-34 amp would also be worth consideration.

Here's one last one- Audion PSET KT88 monos (and not expensive):

https://www.audion.co.uk/Mono blocks/Sterling Anniversary KT88 PSE.html

 

[bonzo75]

You might look into the Luxman MQ-88uC amplifier. The Air Tight EL-34 amp would also be worth consideration.

Here's one last one- Audion PSET KT88 monos (and not expensive):

https://www.audion.co.uk/Mono blocks/Sterling Anniversary KT88 PSE.html

I compared airtight 300b and the el34. The latter was better on the Cessaro Wagner. The former was much superior on the O96

 

[DeadWax]

I compared airtight 300b and the el34. The latter was better on the Cessaro Wagner. The former was much superior on the O96

@bonzo75 Old thread here but a quick question - did you feel the bass performance was solid with the Air Tight 300b driving the O/96's?

 

[djsina2]

@bonzo75 Old thread here but a quick question - did you feel the bass performance was solid with the Air Tight 300b driving the O/96's?

John DeVore uses the Air Tight 300B as his personal amp. I would ask him.

 

[DeadWax]

John DeVore uses the Air Tight 300B as his personal amp. I would ask him.

Thanks...how didn't I know this? ha...I will drop him a note.

 

[djsina2]

Thanks...how didn't I know this? ha...I will drop him a note.

Picture from his Facebook page...

 

[bonzo75]

@bonzo75 Old thread here but a quick question - did you feel the bass performance was solid with the Air Tight 300b driving the O/96's?

Orangutans don't need more power to do natural bass. You are never going to get bass out of them similar to a cone speaker and shouldn't try to. It is a very different way of presentation where recordings keep flowing through

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

some PP or parallell SE 2A3 might do the trick, if one likes the intimacy of the lower power DHTs but need a little more balls

 

[bonzo75]

some PP or parallell SE 2A3 might do the trick, if one likes the intimacy of the lower power DHTs but need a little more balls

Yes NAF 2a3 is excellent. It gives around 10 watts or so

 

[DeMarko]

I owned both Frankenstein MK II and the entry level Border Patrol SE 300B amps. Both unbeatable for the price. Both 8 watts per channel. I compared them side by side in 3 different systems: two systems with high efficiency horn speakers, and one with Coincident's own speakers. I also loaned them both to be paired with the Acoustic Zen Crescendo speakers.

In the first 3 cases the BP SE 300B amp was noticeably better: more natural sounding, more detailed, controlling speakers better. It was clear with stock $250 Electroharmonix tubes and was in your face with better tubes. In case with AZ Crescendo speakers, the Frankenstein MK II couldn't drive them while BP SE did drive them. And they were both 8 watts! Whether it was the outboard power supply of the Border Patrol that did it or something else, I don't know. I also can't tell whether it drove those speakers well, but the Crescendo owner had a Plinius amp at his place at the time and did try different other amps too for his speakers, so would notice.

This is why I went the Border Patrol route and up their range, first with S10 EXD and then with the dream amp S10 EXD EXS that has probably the largest power supplies in audio. There are 2 power supplies in the S10 as this is a dual mono as opposed to SE 300B which has 1 power supply being a stereo amp.

Whether BP is a good match for Orangutans, and which BP amp that's another question. BP has 8 watt and 18 watt single ended amps and 20 watts push pull amps. Their push pull are more delicate to music than what one might think. So could also be considered.

Border Patrol is known for unusually good bass control for single ended amps and unusual overall neutrality for a 300B amp.
Owners love them. Many times I heard or read owners say that it's like the amp isn't there, it does what an amp has to do without hindering and without adding its own.
I'd say it's a super refined naturally musical sound with great control and dynamics. Their top amps are among the best there are, and they sell direct just like Coincident so are an amazing value at that. I chose them because I don't see anything better, and not even for the price. So I'd add a Border Patrol to the list.

 

[essrand]

To give a closure to this question.

I ended up going with a Nagra 300p.
Thought I would try PP with a few more watts to see the difference.

It's been fantastic so far, though dialing it in and getting it right took a while.

Also got very lucky. The Bricasti M12 preamp prefers XLR output to its RCA output (not enough output voltage in the RCA output, which was likely why my Coincident didn't sound great), so any SE amp would have been a problem (I think). Thankfully and luckily I chose the one power amp amongst my list that had an XLR input.

I did listen to most of the amps I mentioned while I was in NYC (in different rooms and systems) so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. But the Luxman MQ-300 stood out head and shoulders over anything else.

Someday I might go the Luxman preamp/amp route (CL1000/MQ300).
Right now my minimalist M12 -> Nagra 300P -> Devore O96 is making good music.

 

[DeadWax]

@essrand Thanks for following up. I was curious how that Nagra was working out for you.

A quick question about the MQ-300. I've heard many say that it produces fantastic extension on both ends of the range, but I was wondering if you feel it's at the expense at all of the magical midrange that 300B is known for. This amp is near the top of my list. I know John DeVore used it at the last DC show to demonstrate the O/Ref. I may ask John if he's spent time with the Luxman paired with the O/96. He recently gave me his thoughts on the Air Tight ATM-300R with O/96's which he strongly advocated.

 

[essrand]

@essrand Thanks for following up. I was curious how that Nagra was working out for you.

A quick question about the MQ-300. I've heard many say that it produces fantastic extension on both ends of the range, but I was wondering if you feel it's at the expense at all of the magical midrange that 300B is known for. This amp is near the top of my list. I know John DeVore used it at the last DC show to demonstrate the O/Ref. I may ask John if he's spent time with the Luxman paired with the O/96. He recently gave me his thoughts on the Air Tight ATM-300R with O/96's which he strongly advocated.

I don't think it is. The midrange is there, and not lacking at all. The sound is just lovely, its beguiling, beautiful and very very involving. I totally forgot about evaluation while listening to it. Didn't happen with the other amps I was demo-ing.

I have heard the ATM-300R but not properly, the dealer who was demo-ing matched it with a *eyeroll* 87dB speaker and didn't let me pump up the volume enough to hear the amplifier do what it does.

I am sure either works, but I would buy the MQ-300 any day over the Airtight, also it looks fabulous, really fabulous too. Pics don't do it justice. Build quality and looks are a level above the ATM-300R and it comes standard with Takatsuki tubes which is a $3000 surcharge on the ATM-300R.

But like I said, I heard both in different systems and the demo with ATM-300R was a non-starter so....can't say, but I can that guarantee MQ-300 won't disappoint.